In the prior art, of which we are aware, various automatic pet food servers have been patented for use with bulk pet food. However, none of these devices provide for easily dosing a unitary food substance, that is, a pet snack of a small, singular nature, such as a dog biscuit for a dog's teeth.
The prior art pet food dispensers, of the cylindrical pet food dispenser type, exhibit problems and difficulties. These devices invariably consists of a turning means for intermitent turning, at intervals, and compartments which hold the food. In one prior art device, there is provided a hopper which is divided into compartments. Various devices show either a bottom or top opening, oriented above or below the pet food, for removal of the food substance.
The top removal prior art devices had to be of sufficiently size to permit access by the animal with its mouth. This required that the compartments, and the overall device, be large. These devices are bulky. Moreover, it is difficult to clean the compartment corners and smaller areas where dirt and debris can collect.
There is also shown in the prior art a bottom oriented discharging device, but this device required a conveying means to a remotely located feed area. Because the turning mechanism was also oriented below the device, the device required a side discharge of the granular food so as to avoid the turning mechanism while maintaining the food integrity.
In the past, various turning means were used. In one example, the turning attachment consists of a bottom spring device, while another provides for a side mounted turning device, and still another has a bottom mounted electric programmer. The turning means had to be designed in a manner that would provide for the entire compartment to be opened at substantially one time, so as to provide all of the allotted food to the animal at the designated feeding time.
All of the prior art devices are used at floor level, and must be of a suitable closure and strength to withstand attempts by a pet to break it open.
These prior art disclosures suffer from a number of inherent deficiencies and disadvantages for application to a feeding of a unitary substance. First, the devices are used at ground level and the integrity of the device may be compromised by the pet depending on the strength of the animal and its ability to penetrate the outer covering of the device. If the animal is sufficiently strong, it will be able to break into the hopper compartments and empty the contents of the feeder.
In addition, because the food substance is not unitary, the device must align on intervals, and not turn continuously because the feeding times of the animal are at intervals, and not of a continuous nature. Further, the alignment needs to be precise so that all of the food is distributed to the animal at the necessary time.
These dispensers must either direct a food substance, which is non-unitary, to a dish or tray, or provide a hopper of sufficient size that it can be used as a dish, for the animal. In the past, cylindrical feeders had to either provide enough room for the animal to access the feeding receptacle with its mouth, or it must provide for removal of the non-unitary food to a remote location. In the first instance, the food storage cubicles cause the device to be large and bulky. To provide the top access necessary, the turning mechanism must be either to the side or below the compartments. For bottom discharge, none of the devices provide for an unobstructed gravity fall to the ground but instead must provide a mechanism to direct the food to a remote location thereby increasing the number of parts and the complexity of the design. While the earlier feeder provide for intermitent feeding of food to an animal, these feeders are greatly different in the complexity of design required, which has a negative impact on their reliability, convenience, and food packaging requirements, which is reflected in the cost and ability to manufacture and in the marketing features.